Brainstorm - Learning the Rhapsodie beat

The first day onboard the Rhapsodie VI we weren’t allowed to do much aparte from eating, drinking, resting, contacting family and insurance. Plus of course getting to know the family and crew!

Firstly we discovered the French siësta is real thing of repetition, dosing if after breakfast, brunch and lunch. With the captain as king of the nap, dosing of in 2 seconds while pretending to read on the couch. My training is strong on this field.

Monsieur Godet, Jean Jacques and as of last night JJ, is the captain of the yacht as well as his family. He used to spend 5 months a year planning, training and doing regatta’s until he stopped 2 years ago. This man of the sea has sailed everywhere, including the north pole as well as beyond the peninsula of Antarctica with a specialized icebreaker yacht. These days he spends 4 to 5 months a year sailing with his wife Ann and crossing the Atlantic with their Rhapsodie was her idea.

She, Ann the host and actual boss of the boat, likes it if I make some eggs and bacon in the morning but doesn’t want assistance (interference) when she prepares classic French cuisine lunches and dinners.

Jean-Marrie, the little brother of JJ, is the quietest onboard but with many hidden stories. Apart from a regatta life this adventurer crossed the world in different forms including the north of Canada xxxx by snowmobile for a month.

Filipe is the matriarch of the crew when it comes to age, sailing, handyman and jokes. He reminds me a lot of a delightful man I and some of you know as Lex. In physical appearance as well as charisma and dancing style.

Lastly Julian hitched a ride across the Atlantic in search of a challenge and adventure in exchange for cleaning- and muscle power. At the age of 38 he’s a product manager in IT who lives in Barcelona with his girlfriend, has some sailing experience but isn’t allowed to steer the Rhapsodie on his own yet.

All of them are extremely kind and good company to enjoy the crossing with. We follow and speak the French as best as we can but most is translated, from passionate choice- and stand of the sails discussions to elaborate jokes.

On the second day we started to participate in the daily operations. We’d already observed the easy handling- and delayed reaction of the rudder plus the many lines, levers and winches needed to adjust the 4 sails on this one off Franchini yacht. JJ let us take the rudder and talk while he observed how you handled his tank of a cruiser. I’m happy to say we seem to have passed the test as he had no problem to leave us unattended and ask if we’d like to take our own nightshift together. We accepted with pleasure, making the second part of the Atlantic crossing our own.

Unfortunately the trade winds are still playing hide and seek with us but this does offer daily swimming. Now moreover a relaxing treat rather than a feared necessity as we are not short of fresh water with a water maker onboard.